In Germany, where the births-to-deaths ratio now results in an annual population loss of roughly 100,000, Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s family minister (and a mother of seven), declared two years ago that if her country didn’t reverse its plummeting birthrate, “We will have to turn out the light.”

Incredibly fascinating story. I always tend to think of the planet is getting overcrowded, but in Europe, a shrinking population is a real problem.

A French court on Monday ordered the online auction giant eBay to pay 38.6 million euros, or $61 million, in damages to the French luxury goods company LVMH, in the latest round in a long-running legal battle over the sale of counterfeit goods on the Internet.

LVMH, a maker of high-end leather goods, perfumes and other fashion and luxury products, successfully challenged eBay for a second time in the French court, arguing that 90 percent of the Louis Vuitton bags and Dior perfumes sold on eBay are fakes.

The court ruled that eBay, which earns a commission on the sales, was not doing enough to stamp out counterfeit sales.

How can EBay as a marketplace be responsible for the products that its vendor sell? It seems like LVMH is trying to take the easy way out and pin the responsibility on eBay when they should be the ones going after the vendors.

Just weeks after getting into a scuffle with Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez shoved the team’s traveling secretary to the ground in Houston over the weekend, according to a published report.

McCormick told Ramirez that he might not be able to get all 16, and according to McAdam, Ramirez responded by shouting: “Just do your job!” They started arguing and Ramirez pushed McCormick.

If doing your job means getting thrown to the ground by Manny Ramierz, then it’s time for a new job. What an ass.

I never understand why it’s so hard for people to change habits or preferences when there’s tremendous benefits in doing so. The milk jug above is much friendlier to the environment because it can be stacked for cheaper and more efficient transportation saving 20 to 30 cents/gallon. But, people complain that it’s harder to pour if you don’t know how.

In the latest fee to hit the airline industry, Delta Air Lines said Friday that it planned to begin charging a fuel surcharge of up to $50 for booking frequent-flier tickets under its awards program.

“We hope this is temporary,” Mr. Robertson said, “and should fuel prices subside from current levels, we will re-evaluate this surcharge.”

Right.

Mr. Robertson also said Delta would introduce a “new, multi-tiered award program” in the next 60 days but gave no details. Industry analysts have predicted that airlines may increase the number of miles required for a frequent-flier ticket.

This is more good news from Delta. I think the only way this could get better is if they could cram 4 people into every three seats.

John McCain, one of the the oldest candidates in presidential history, doesn’t know how to use a computer, let alone the Internet. “I’m an illiterate who has to rely on my wife for all the assistance I can get,” McCain responded when asked if he used a Mac or PC.

“John McCain is aware of the Internet,” says Soohoo.

“You don’t actually have to use a computer to understand how it shapes the country,” Soohoo says.

But, John McCain can start a fire with two rocks. So, take that, you computer users.